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Home > ISP Services > > Broadband > ADSL > Security Considerations
The great advantage to many people of using Broadband is that it is an always on connection and it is possible to use the telephone while connected to the Internet. This is great but often the security implications are overlooked or even ignored.
 
Not securing your Internet connection is like leaving the wiTouchcommsw or front door of your home open!
 
What are the risks that are associated with the always-on nature of a broadband connection if there is no security?
1. Visibility to the world.
  Whenever you are connected to the Internet your machine broadcasts an IP address, which is like your postal address and can be seen by other users of the Internet. It can be possible for an outsider to examine the files on your computer and even:
 
Change data.
Steal data.
Delete data or programs.
Install Trojans, Demons, Viruses and other programs which allow your computer to be misused.
2. Spam/ open relay
  If you are running a mail server then it is possible for your server, if it is not correctly configured, to be used as an open relay by Spammers to send their Spam to other Internet users.
3. POP ups
  Pop ups are adverts that appear in a new wiTouchcommsw when you click on a web page and can be intrusive.
 
If your machine is compromised there will be costs that you will incur in time and effort to clean your computer.
 
What can you do to protect yourself?
 
1. Use a router with the NAT
  Using a router with the NAT (Network Address Translation) overload feature, such as the devices that can be purchased from TOUCHCOMMS.The router assumes the Public Internet IP address and computers connected to the router are hidden with private IP addresses and are therefore not visible on the Internet. This means that other computers cannot connect directly to your computers, however your computers are allowed full access to the Internet through the router.
2. Use a security router
  These provide the security of NAT with the added benefit of stateful packet inspection (SPI), which means that certain traffic to your computer is analysed to make sure that it conforms to protocol standards. These standards are enforced by the security router. These routers can also assist to prevent a Denial Of Service attack reaching the computers connected to the security router. Security routers are generally used where access to the Internet is given to machines acting as servers. THese routers also offer VPN connectivity for secure remote networking.
3. Use a software firewall
  A software firewall works on the basis that you can define what is allowed to connect to or access your computer from the Internet. In addition, connections from your computer to the Internet are authorised to confirm that they are considered to be safe. This means that you can restrict which applications on your computer are allowed to use the Internet connection, therefore this makes a software firewall a good second line of defence even when a router is used.
4. Do not rely on a modem without a firewall
  A modem creates an open connection to the Internet and unlike a router does not offer any protection as your computer broadcasts the public IP address. It is very important to use a firewall when you connect using a modem. There are many software firewalls available such as:
 
Zonelabs (zonealarm
5. POP up protection
  Free programs exist that can be downloaded from the Internet, such as:
 
Ad-Ware 6.0
6. Viruses
  Do not open attachments or save attachments to your computer unless you know that they are from a trusted source. The latest information concerning viruses can be found on our support site.
7. Switch off when not in use
  If your computer is not switched on, then it cannot be compromised. Commercial products offerring a range of Internet security options exist, such as:
 
Norton Internet Security
ZoneLabs firewalls
McAfee Security
F-Secure
Tiny
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